Among the many little surprises lurking in the Gang of Eight’s “comprehensive immigration reform bill” could be an amendment, proposed by Senator Pat Leahy (D-VT), that would allow “gay Americans to sponsor foreign-born partners for green cards,” according to The Hill.
President Obama is tap-dancing around support for this amendment, saying through spokesman Jay “Benghazi Was A Long Time Ago” Carney that the Gang of Eight bill “broadly reflects the principles that the President has laid out, but is not word-for-word in keeping with all of what he would do if he were to write it himself.” At the present time, it is said that the White House approves of Leahy’s amendment, but will not insist that it be included in the final bill.
The Hill figures including this amendment could “ultimately doom the bill on the Senate floor or in the Republican-controlled house.” The Republican champion of comprehensive immigration reform, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, described it as a “landmine.”
Whatever other concerns opponents of the Leahy amendment might have, it’s an open invitation for more dubious green cards. Contrary to The Hill’s description, it’s not going to allow only “gay Americans” to sponsor same-sex partners; I very much doubt there will be any requirement for the sponsors to “prove” they are gay. This will basically allow anyone to sponsor anyone else. Granted, we already have a lot of sham opposite-sex green card “partnerships,” but shouldn’t we be reluctant to adopt a measure that dramatically increases their number?
That’s a general problem with the push for same-sex marriage. There’s really no way to require that such a marriage be “gay” at all – any two people can get married. Again, that was always possible with opposite-sex marriages concocted with ulterior motives, and the number of same-sex marriages intended to abuse the system for various benefits – an idea already satirized in TV shows and movies – might initially be small, although interest in those green cards might be keener. But doesn’t all this inevitably diminish society’s respect for marriage, which had already grown far too weak?
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